Rim-spreader.



G. E. POWERS.

'RIM SPREADER.

APPLICATION FILED 11.20, 1914.

1,121,396, Patented Dec. 15,1914.

WITNESSES INVENTOR M 540% GEOfiGf Pan [m9 ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHING IoNv D. C.

.im n srarns PATENT QFFICE.

y GEORGE E. rownas, or wILBEaron-cn, onio.

' 4 rtIM-sraEAniERf 1 b all whom it may concern during the operation of Be it known that I, GEORGE POWERS, a; citizenofthe UnitedStates, and a resident ofWilberforce, in the county of Greene'and State of Ohio, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Rim-Spreaders, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to wheelwrights"; tools, and more particularly to a tool for spreading or drawing the rim of awheel attaching the rim to the spokes. I

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a tool which may be clamped to the ends of a half rim, and operated to spread the rim or draw it as desired, in order to facilitate the adjustment of the rim to the wheel spokes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which will be simple, durable, eflicient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination, and arrangement of-parts, hereinafter more fully de scribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which hkecharacters of reference indicate like parts in the figures, of which, i

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the device, showing-the same as attached to a half rim, the latter being shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2 represents a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the broken line 22 of Fig. 1, and, Fig. 3] represents a fragmentary perspective View showing means whereby the device may be adjusted. I v

In carrying out one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a pair of substantially arcuate arms 5, oppositely disposed, to form approximately a half circumference, and flattened at their adjacent ends, as at 6, to provide eyes, and the arms are pivotally, connected by means of a pin or bolt 7 projecting through eyes 6, and on one end of which is formed an enlarged threaded lug 8.

Swiveled on bolt 7 is a plate 9, which acts as a washer between the eyes 6., and which extends beyond the eyes' and is provided with an eye 10, whereby the tool may bev hung above the wheel bench or stand in a shop.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pajgnfied Dec, 15, 1914,, Application filed J anuary 20, 1914. Serial N0. 813,301. i i

The outer ends of arms 5, are split, and one portion bent out as at 11, whereby a aw is formed for receiving one end of a with the half rim for securely clamping the same within the jaw.

The arms a may be swung toward each other for drawing the rim, or may be separated for spreading the rim, asmay "be desired, and in orderto accomplish the movement of the arms relatively to each other, I have provided an operating mechanism which comprises a screw 12 threaded at one end into the lug 8, and swiveled as at 13 at its opposite end in a follower 14' provided with oppositely extending arms 15, each of which is pivotally secured by means of rivets or pins 16 to the inner end of a link 17, the outer end of which is pivotally connected as at 18, to the outer end of one of the arms near the jaw portion thereof.

The links 17, follower 14 and screw 12 lie in approximately the same plane, and by turning the screw 12 so as to bring the follower 14 towardlug 8, the outer ends of arms 5, will be: drawn toward each other. In order to facilitate the turning of screw 12, I provide a hand wheel 19 which is keyed :or otherwise secured to the screw near the 20 are bent away from arms 15 on follower 14, so as to allow plenty of clearance for the hand of the operator in turning the screw.

The half rim shown in dotted. lines in Fig. 1, is in an expanded or spread position, the normal position of the arms when first attached to a rim of standard size, being somewhat closer together than shown, so that the bolt may be turned in one direction or the other for drawing or spreading the rim as described. I

The device may be constructed so as to be adjustable to various standard sizes of wheels, andto this end the links 17 maybe extended, as shown in Fig. 3, and provided 1 bolts, so that the initial position of the arms'with relation to each other may be adusted to the val-1011s standard slzes of runs.

Although I havedescribed the preferred embodiment of my invention, I may desire to make such change in the combination and arrangement of parts thereof as do not depart from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim j v 1. A'device of the class described, comprising a pair or curved arms having eyes formed at their inner ends, a bolt extending vthrough said eyes for pivotally connecting saidqarms, said bolt having a lug formed on one end thereof, a plate swiveled on said bolt between said eyes, and extended beyond said eyes and formed with an eye, the outer ends of said arms being bifurcated and separated to form jaw-s, a screw extending through said lug, -a follower swiveled on said screw, said follower formed Wltll opposltely extending arms, links pivotally connected to said arms at one end,

and at their opposite end each pivot-ally connected to one of said curved arms near the outerend thereof, and a hand wheel Uprising a pair of curved oppositely disposed arms pivotally connected together at one end, the outer ends of said arms being bifurcated and spread to form jaws, thumb screws carried by said jaws, links pivotally c.onnecte,d at their outer ends to said curved arms near said jaws, a movable element. to which the lnner ends of sald links are piv- Gqpies; of this patent may be obtained for otally connected, and means for movingsalcl elen'ient toward or away from the ply-.1. oted endsof the curved arms for separat ingor ,drawingsaid jaws together.

A rim spreader comprising a pair of pivoted arms movable atone end, toward and away from each other, and having jaws adapted to engage and hold a wheel rim at right angles to the plane of the arms whereby to leave the rim unobstructed, links pivotally connectedto said armsya movable element .to which the links are pivotally c011- nected and means for moving said element whereby to adjust the jaws.

L. A rim spreader comprising a pair of movable armshzu 'mg jaws at one end a'daptedto. engage and hold avrim at rightangles to the plane ofthe arms, links pi-votally 0011-.

nected to said arms, a follower pivotally I a connected to the links, a screw swiveledin the follower, a bearing through which the screw is adapted to travel, and a hand wheel on the screw for turnlng the same. I a An apparatus such as described comprising a yoke, a threaded bearing carried a by said yoke with the bore of the bearing 7 in a plane parallel with that of the yoke, a bolt threaded in said bearing, and spreading' armsbetween the ends of the yoke and operated by said bolt, all substantially as described, whereby the apparatus may he applied to spread a I yoke in a plane at right angles tothat of rim segment with the the segment, leaving the segment unob- 11'- structed for the reception of spokes.

GETORGE E. POVERS. lYitnessesz.

I-Ionaon Tammi-T, A. BowLEs.

fi cents ch, hr arl slre ai e he Qemmisstoeer a; inten s Washington, 2Q. 0f. 

